Name of ethnic group: Bo Y (Chung Cha, Trong Gia, Tu Di, Tu Din and Pu Na). Population: 1,864 people (Year 1999). Locality: Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Ha Giang and Tuyen Quang provinces.  Customs and habits Ancestor worship is the basis of Bo Y religion. The Bo Y live in houses built on the ground. There is always an extra room in this type of house constructed of wooden boards that rest on the main beams of the house. These rooms serve as the bedroom for unmarried boys and as a granary. The wedding ceremony of the Bo Y is a complicated and expensive endeavor. A unique characteristic of this wedding ceremony is that the groom does not attend the ceremony. Instead, he sends his younger sister to the bride's family to lead a pink horse during the wedding. When the parents die, the children must practice strict mourning rites, 90 days to mourn their mother and 120 days to mourn their father. Culture The Bo Y language belongs to the Tay - Thai Group. Costumes Women wear a full skirt, a...

Name of ethnic group: Cham (Cham, Chiem Thanh, and Hroi). Population: 132,873 people (Year 1999). Locality: Concentrated populations live in Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan provinces. The Cham also live in An Giang, Tay Ninh, Dong Nai provinces, and Ho Chi Minh City.  Customs and habits The Cham follow Islam and Brahmanism. Brahmanism's doctrines draw about three-fifths of the Cham population in Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan Provinces. Matriarchy still exists in Cham society as daughters carry the family name of their mothers. A woman's family marries the groom for their daughter. After marriage, the groom comes to live with his wife's household. The right of inheritance is reserved for daughters only. The youngest daughter, however, must care for her aging parents. Culture The Cham language belongs to the Malayo-Polynesian Group. These people enjoy singing and dancing. Cham dances are well-known through the nation. Economy The main economic activity of the Cham is rice farming in...

Name of ethnic group: Bru-Van Kieu (Tri, Khua, and Ma-Coong). Population: 55,559 people (Year 1999). Locality: The mountain regions of Quang Binh, Quang Tri, and Thua Thien-Hue provinces.  Customs and habits The Bru - Van Kieu live in small houses on stilts. These villages are usually located near rivers or streams and are always arranged along the water current flows. The houses are arranged in circles around a communal house on flat and expansive terrain. Young Bru - Van Kieu men and women are free to choose their partners. The maternal uncle says the last words at marriage or burial ceremonies for his nephews and nieces. He also has the decision power in house construction. Ancestor worship is the most common religious activity. Also, the Bru - Van Kieu pay veneration to sacred objects such as a sword or a fragment of a bowl, and they especially worship fire and kitchen deities. Culture The Bru-Van Kieu language belongs to the Mon-Khmer culture. The Bru - Van Kieu love...